US & Israel Launch Major Strikes on Iran
The U.S. and Israel have launched major joint military operations against Iran, codenamed "Epic Fury," with explosions rocking Tehran. President Trump framed it as a response to Iran's nuclear ambitions and called for regime change. The death toll has reportedly risen to 60 as the strikes trigger fears of a wider regional war and a spike in global oil prices.
The joint military operation follows weeks of escalating tensions and a massive U.S. military buildup in the region, including the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier groups. The strikes occurred after high-stakes negotiations in Geneva over Iran's nuclear program ended without a deal. Washington's demands reportedly included the complete dismantling of Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities and the transfer of all its enriched uranium to the United States. Iran, which claimed its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes, was unwilling to meet these demands. The Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign, which began after the U.S. withdrawal from the 2018 nuclear deal, has involved over 1,500 sanctions against Iran. Initial targets included not just military and nuclear sites, but also symbols of the government and intelligence headquarters. An Israeli official confirmed that strikes specifically targeted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. In addition to Tehran, attacks were reported in Isfahan, Karaj, Kermanshah, Qum, and Tabriz. Iran has retaliated with its own missile and drone attacks, codenamed "Truthful Promise 4." Targets have included U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE, as well as locations in Israel. Saudi Arabia also reported missile attacks. International reaction has been divided. Russia condemned the strikes as an "unprovoked act of armed aggression," while the European Union has called for "maximum restraint." Oman, which had been mediating talks between the U.S. and Iran, expressed dismay that "active and serious negotiations" had been undermined. The conflict sent immediate shockwaves through global energy markets. About 20% of the world's petroleum passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and Brent crude, the global benchmark, stood at $72.87 per barrel just before the operation began. In 2019, an attack on Saudi Arabia's Abqaiq oil processing facility temporarily knocked out 5% of the global supply. The strikes come as Iran's nuclear program has advanced significantly. As of June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated Iran had enough uranium enriched to 60% purity to produce the weapons-grade material for a bomb in less than a week. This followed a 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025 that caused billions of dollars in damage.
